skip to main content

ECO EYE

Eco Eye, series 17, Cork Harbour Image Name: Eco Eye, series 17, Cork Harbour
Boat Cork 1 Image Name: Boat Cork 1
Defending-Cork-Meitheal-Mara-Cathy- Image Name: Defending-Cork-Meitheal-Mara-Cathy-
Defending-Cork-John-Hegarty Image Name: Defending-Cork-John-Hegarty
Defending-Cork-Ezra-mcManamon-OPW Image Name: Defending-Cork-Ezra-mcManamon-OPW
Defending-Cork-Cllr-Kieran-McCarthy Image Name: Defending-Cork-Cllr-Kieran-McCarthy

Series 17, Episode 5

‘Defending Cork’  

Synopsis: Floods are common on the island of Ireland, and Cork city in particular is prey to constant floods. As floods become more frequent and more severe, and with the impacts of climate change and sea level rise appearing to accelerate, what are the long term flood projections for Ireland’s second-largest city and what can be done to mitigate more acute flooding?

The OPW’s proposed flood protection scheme has been lauded by city councillors, but is coming under major local pressure from a group of engineers and architects who believe that the planned flood walls will not only damage the heritage aspect of the medieval town centre, but that the ten-year project will not constitute a long-term solution to sea level rise.

This episode will see Duncan Stewart speaking to both sides to learn more about the possible climate scenarios for Cork city and explore what it would take to protect it for the rest of the 21st century, if not longer. He will investigate the importance of Cork’s coastal past and what it means for residents, as well as what the stakes are if flood protection isn’t done right the first time.